Apocalyptic Disaster: I Hoard Billions in Supplies and Kill the Saint

188: Chapter 188 Crossing the Earth’s Ridge to the WestYe Nanxing sat in the main seat, not rising, only giving a faint nod in acknowledgement.

Duan Heng’s gaze fell on her face, and he inclined his head slightly, his tone calm:

”Base Leader Ye, sorry for the intrusion today.”

”I am Duan Heng—the convener of the Lanyan Shelter Council and a former member of the Survivor Strategic Deployment Group.”

”I have come today, firstly, to apologize for those ’radical representatives’ from last time.”

”Secondly, it is to give a greeting on behalf of the rationality in this Apocalypse... that has not yet drawn its last breath.”

He didn’t speak with the oppressive air of a superior, nor did he use any empty slogans. He was like an ’old soldier’ who truly recognized the situation, slowly revealing a real hand of cards.

Shen Qingyan served tea—but she wasn’t particularly polite, offering only a cup of cold-brewed pure water without any ceremonial garnish.

Duan Heng didn’t mind; he took a gentle sip and pushed the metal data tablet in his hand to the center of the table.

”This is the next stage of the migration scheme and shelter plan we have compiled.”

”I understand that you don’t trust the system.”

”But my visit this time is not on behalf of a ’system,’ but on behalf of ’reality’.”

Ye Nanxing didn’t respond, only looking at the map structure on the screen with its red lines, blue dots, and regional blocks.

Duan Heng continued:

”Lanyan Shelter is not an isolated point.”

”Behind us, there are three other long-term linked nodes: ’Cangyu Stronghold,’ ’Ningbei Passage,’ and ’Biling Migration Station’.”

”Although these three places are not fully unified under the system, they have already achieved semi-automated connection in terms of resource management and shelter population allocation.”

”We are organizing an operation codenamed [Earth’s Ridge Westward Crossing].”

”The goal is to establish a [Joint Migration Pillar Mechanism], utilizing the plateau terrain to resist extreme heat currents and expand deep-layer water systems, while rebuilding the ’Basic Agricultural Core Zone’.”

He paused, his gaze toward Ye Nanxing unwavering and open:

”I know your Tianlang Mountain is independent and self-sufficient.”

”But you possess the resource chains we lack most:”

”—A dispatchable pure water core.”

”—A complete spatial ability group.”

”—The psionic biological individual ’Flame Born’.”

”—And most rarely: a management structure that does not depend on the system yet still survives well.”

”So—we are not here to merge with you.”

”We are here to invite you—to join this next-stage reconstruction ’decision-making table’.”

Lin Xiao’s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze sharp, but he did not interject.

Shen Qingyan looked at the planning map, and after a long silence, she whispered:

”If what he says is true, then they don’t want to be officials.”

”They want to extend their lives.”

Zhao Wei leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and snorted, ”You make it sound nice. But if you’re really so sincere, why did the people who came last time try to kill us?”

Zhang Tianjin raised an eyebrow: ”Don’t be so quick to snap; this old gentleman is clearly not cut from the same cloth.”

Zhou Cheng read out a marked point while looking at the map:

”’Plateau Backbone · Xiling Transit Station’... If this is real, it means they truly are laying down lines.”

Chu Yunting just stood behind Ye Nanxing, his gaze always fixed on Duan Heng’s eyes.

—Whether a person is acting or not, you won’t be wrong if you look at their eyes.

And in this old man Duan Heng’s eyes, there was no superficiality.

There was only exhaustion, stubbornness, and—a sliver of genuine respect.

Only then did Ye Nanxing reach out, slowly picking up the data tablet. After reviewing every detailed node, she spoke indifferently:

”I can look at it.”

”The route... is negotiable.”

”But you must understand.”

”Tianlang Mountain does not belong to the system.”

”I do not follow commands, nor will I accept deployments.”

”Cooperation—is fine.”

”Parallel operation—is also fine.”

”But we are only responsible for ourselves.”

Upon hearing this, Duan Heng actually nodded slowly, his expression as calm as ever:

”You are right not to belong to the system.”

”Because in the future of this world... there shouldn’t be only one system.”

”What we truly want to pursue is a pluralistic—collaborative but non-controlling ’alliance structure’.”

”You are important chips.”

”But you can also play your own cards.”

Duan Heng rose slowly, his hands behind his back, his eyes deep as a night sea.

Before leaving, his footsteps paused at the door, and his voice, though low, echoed clearly in the meeting room:

”This world is already broken.”

”But broken things can be pieced back together.”

He turned slowly, his gaze piercing through the high-temperature mist outside the window toward the vast distance of the world:

”Only next time, it might not rely on ’systems’ or ’old laws’.”

”But on—people like you, who dare to snatch the kindling from the ashes.”

As his voice fell, the entire meeting room fell silent for a moment.

That phrase ”people who snatch the kindling” was like a quietly burning flame, silently igniting some deep-seated memory and will in everyone’s hearts.

Zhang Tianjin blurted out, ”He sure talks a good game.”

Shen Qingyan crossed her arms: ”But those who truly want to snatch the kindling are never the ones at the top using rhetoric.”

Lin Xiao’s gaze was solemn, yet he softly uttered:

”...At least this old man didn’t lie.”

The wind brushed against Duan Heng’s robe, making the plain grey fabric flap loudly.

His back appeared lonely, yet it was not hunched nor hurried; instead, it had the quietude of an old tree.

The accompanying personnel followed behind, their expressions complex.

The young adjutant hesitated for a few steps but ultimately didn’t dare to say much, only silently lowering his head and assisting the old man away.

Ye Nanxing stood up slowly and walked to the window, watching Duan Heng’s gradually receding figure.

She didn’t speak.

She merely swiped her finger across the electronic panel, pulling up the entire blueprint of the ”Joint Migration Plan” and scrutinizing it page by page once more.

The routes were clear, the nodes explicit; supply stations, transit zones, and migration ratios were all on the map.

But her gaze did not fall on the routes themselves.

Instead, it fell on the bottom right corner, on a line of text printed so faintly it was somewhat faded.

—[Plan Guiding Core: Joint Government · Order Reconstruction Department · Special Project: Flame Vein Project]

Her gaze narrowed slightly as she slowly put away the blueprint.

She didn’t ask any questions aloud, nor did she strike the table in a counter-reaction.

She just silently completed a very clear judgment in her heart.

[Duan Heng · Credibility: 60%]

[Lanyan Shelter: Still contains multiple factions; cannot be generalized]

[Joint Migration Plan: Worth observing, but cannot be bound to it]

[Flame Vein Project: High alert · Involves ”Ability User Source-Excavation System”]

Her fingers tapped on the table a few times.

It wasn’t hesitation, but the rhythm of thinking.

[This world will not be restored because of unity.]

[Nor will it collapse because of refusal.]

[What shape it takes depends on who—holds the ’real kindling’ in their hands.]

And Tianlang Mountain held one of them.

She walked step by step onto the rooftop, standing at the highest point of the entire base, looking toward that distant plateau antenna connection belt.

The wind was very hot, so hot it felt like it would dry out one’s bones.

But she still stood straight, like a sentry guarding ”humanity’s last line of defense.”

She murmured:

”Cooperation is not submission.”

”Participation is not obedience.”

”If the future civilization does not belong to any old-school system—”

”Then let it be rewritten by ’those of us who snatched the kindling’.”